New World Order (conspiracy theory)

===Freemasonry===
{{Main|Masonic conspiracy theories}}
[[Freemasonry]] is one of the world's oldest secular [[fraternity|fraternal organizations]] and arose in [[Great Britain]] during the 18th century.  Over the years, several allegations and conspiracy theories have been directed towards Freemasonry, including the allegation that Freemasons have a hidden [[political agenda]] and are conspiring to bring about a New World Order, a world government organized according to Masonic principles or governed only by Freemasons.<ref name="Berlet 1999"/>

The [[esotericism|esoteric]] nature of [[Masonic symbolism]] and [[Masonic ritual and symbolism|rites]] led to Freemasons first being accused of secretly practicing [[Satanism]] in the late 18th century.<ref name="Berlet 1999"/> The original allegation of a [[Masonic conspiracy theories|conspiracy within Freemasonry]] to subvert religions and governments to take over the world traces back to Scottish author [[John Robison (physicist)|John Robison]], whose [[reactionary]] conspiracy theories crossed the Atlantic and influenced outbreaks of Protestant [[anti-Masonry]] in the United States during the 19th century.<ref name="Berlet 1999"/>  In the 1890s, French writer [[Léo Taxil]] wrote a series of pamphlets and books denouncing Freemasonry and charging their lodges with worshiping [[Lucifer]] as the [[God|Supreme Being]] and [[Great Architect of the Universe]]. Despite the fact that Taxil admitted that [[Taxil hoax|his claims were all a hoax]], they were and still are believed and repeated by numerous conspiracy theorists and had a huge influence on subsequent anti-Masonic claims about Freemasonry.<ref name="De Hoyos 2011">{{cite book|author=De Hoyos|first1=Artuoro|title=Is It True What They Say about Freemasonry?|last2=Morris|first2=Brent|date=2010|publisher=M. Evans and Company, revised edition|isbn=978-1-59077-153-2}}</ref>

Some conspiracy theorists eventually speculated that some [[Founding Fathers of the United States]], such as [[George Washington]] and [[Benjamin Franklin]], were having Masonic [[sacred geometry|sacred geometric]] designs interwoven into American society, particularly in the [[Great Seal of the United States]], the [[United States one-dollar bill]], the architecture of [[National Mall#Landmarks, museums and other features|National Mall landmarks]] and the [[streets and highways of Washington, D.C.]], as part of a master plan to create the first "Masonic government" as a model for the coming New World Order.<ref name="Barkun 2003"/>

[[File:Masonic lodge room, Salt Lake Masonic Temple.JPG|thumb|right|220 px|A [[Masonic Lodge]] room]]

Freemasons rebut these claims of a Masonic conspiracy. Freemasonry, which promotes [[rationalism]], places no power in occult symbols themselves, and it is not a part of its principles to view the drawing of symbols, no matter how large, as an act of consolidating or controlling power.<ref name="AMFAQ 6.8">{{cite web|author=McKeown, Trevor W.|date=5 May 2004|url=http://www.freemasonry.bcy.ca/anti-masonry/anti-masonry06.html#68|title=Doesn't the satanic design of Washington, DC's street plan prove that there's a masonic conspiracy?|work=Anti-masonry Frequently Asked Questions|publisher=Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon A.F. & A. M.|access-date=23 July 2009}}</ref> Furthermore, there is no published information establishing the Masonic membership of the men responsible for the design of the Great Seal.<ref name="AMFAQ 6.8"/><ref name="AMFAQ 2.3">{{cite web|author=McKeown, Trevor W.|date=5 May 2004|url=http://www.freemasonry.bcy.ca/anti-masonry/anti-masonry02.html#eye_pyramid|title=Is the eye and pyramid a masonic symbol?|work=Anti-masonry Frequently Asked Questions|publisher=Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon A.F. & A. M.|access-date=23 July 2009}}</ref> While conspiracy theorists assert that there are elements of Masonic influence on the Great Seal of the United States and that these elements were intentionally or unintentionally used because the creators were familiar with the symbols,<ref name="Conspiracy Theories in American History: An Encyclopedia">{{cite book|last1=Knight|first1=Peter|title=Conspiracy Theories in American History: An Encyclopedia|url=https://archive.org/details/conspiracytheori00knig_851|url-access=limited|year= 2003|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1576078129|pages=[https://archive.org/details/conspiracytheori00knig_851/page/n244 227]}}</ref> in fact, the all-seeing [[Eye of Providence]] and the unfinished pyramid were symbols used as much outside Masonic lodges as within them in the late 18th century. Therefore, the designers were drawing from common esoteric symbols.<ref name="Rough Guide to Conspiracy Theories, The (3rd)">{{cite book|last1=McConachie|first1=James|last2=Tudge|first2=Robin|title=Rough Guide to Conspiracy Theories, The (3rd)|publisher=Rough Guides UK|isbn=978-1409362456|year=2013}}</ref> The Latin phrase "''[[novus ordo seclorum]]''", appearing on the reverse side of the Great Seal since 1782 and the back of the one-dollar bill since 1935, translates to "New Order of the Ages",<ref name="Lewis and Short"/> and alludes to the beginning of an era where the United States of America is an independent nation-state; conspiracy theorists often mistranslate it as "New World Order".<ref name="GreatSeal.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.greatseal.com/mottoes/seclorum.html|title=Novus Ordo Seclorum – Origin and Meaning of the Motto Beneath the American Pyramid |publisher=GreatSeal.com}}</ref>

Although the [[Continental Freemasonry|European continental branch of Freemasonry]] has organizations that allow political discussion within their Masonic Lodges, Masonic researcher Trevor W. McKeown argues that the accusations ignore several facts. Firstly, the many Grand Lodges are independent and sovereign, meaning they act independently and do not have a common agenda. The points of belief of the various lodges often differ. Secondly, famous Freemasons have always held views that span the political spectrum and show no particular pattern or preference. As such, the term "Masonic government" is erroneous; there is no consensus among Freemasons about what an ideal government would look like.<ref name="AM FAQ 4.8">{{cite web|author=McKeown, Trevor W.|date=5 May 2004|url=http://www.freemasonry.bcy.ca/anti-masonry/anti-masonry04.html#politics|title=Does Freemasonry have a secret political agenda?|work=Anti-masonry Frequently Asked Questions|publisher=Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon A.F. & A. M.|access-date=23 July 2009}}</ref>